Houston, we have a problem...

Chief Harold Hurtt (no relation to me), the police chief of Houston, Texas is suggesting we put surveillance cameras in apartment complexes, downtown streets, and even in private homes.  According to the AP:

"I know a lot of people are concerned about Big Brother, but my response to that is, if you are not doing anything wrong, why should you worry about it?" Chief Harold Hurtt told reporters Wednesday at a regular briefing.

Fourth admendment?  What's that?

This is, I think, the real problem with the NSA surveillance program.  Having your civil rights curtailed just a little bit is a lot like being a little bit pregnant, or a little bit dead.  Every unpunished transgression moves the lines out a little bit farther.  If it's OK for the NSA to spy on Americans in looking for terrorists, what can't the Houston Police spy on people looking for muggers and spousal/child abusers?  You don't want to let the child abusers get away with it, do you?  Think of the children!

The problem is that this slowly encroaches.  Muggers and child abusers get replaced with vandals and petty thieves and jay walkers.  Just living in certain places means I am automatically makes me a criminal suspect under surveillance.  Renting an apartment in the wrong building, or renting or buying a home whose previous occupants engaged in spousal/child abuse or other crimes means I'm under surveillance, and suspicion, automatically.  Of course, while the small number of trouble makers move from house to house, apartment complex to apartment complex, and neighborhood to neighborhood, the number of people under this "derivitive surveillance" becomes the majority.

The real problems people are facing, of course, stem from the W.  Houston is dealing with large numbers of displaced refugees from the gulf coast, with no money, no jobs, no homes, and few possessions, thanks to the inaction and ineptitude of the Bush administration (Heckuva job, I gotta say).  And, of course, this wonderfull economy is producing so many jobs (again, thanks to W).  While at the same time the Bush administration has zero funded COPS (because the evil Clinton was the one who passed it), meaning there is less federal money for police.  We're feeling it here in Minnesota, where Minneapolis is short of police and is seeing crime increase, thanks to this.

But the worst problem is that this issue is even open to debate.  Illegal police and govermental surveillance?  That sounds like a good idea.  Unlawfull detentions of US citizens?  Sometimes it's necessary.  How about torturing people?  Sure- if Jack Bauer can do it, why can't we?  Unilateral wars of aggression?  No problem.  A new aristocracy that is above the law?  Sounds like a plan.  Fraudulent voting machines?  Standard operating procedure.

1984, just a few decades late...